Crew Tried To Abort Takeoff At Close To V1

Though a probable cause report on last week's fatal crash of a Learjet 60 as it attempted to takeoff from in Columbia, SC is at least a year away, investigators believe the plane's crew was attempting to abort the takeoff due to a suspected blown tire.

National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman told the Associated Press a cockpit voice recording indicates, "The crew reacted to a sound that was consistent with a tire blowout." She added pieces of tire were recovered about 2,800 feet from where the plane started its takeoff run on the 8,600-foot runway.

Hersman said an investigation is underway.

As ANN reported, former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and Hollywood DJ Adam Goldstein were thrown from the plane, suffering from second- and third-degree burns. They're expected to fully recover. Both pilots and two other passengers died.

It has been determined that the plane was traveling at or above its minimum takeoff speed when the crew thought the tire burst.

Officials will now attempt to gain any insight into why the pilots may have decided aborting the takeoff was preferable to rotating and getting airborne.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 999LJ        Make/Model: LJ60      Description: LEARJET 60
  Date: 09/20/2008     Time: 0356

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: COLUMBIA   State: SC   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT ON DEPARTURE ROLL, WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED,
  THERE WERE SIX PERSONS ON BOARD, FOUR WERE FATALLY INJURED, TWO SUSTAINED
  UNKNOWN INJURIES, COLUMBIA, SC

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   4
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   4     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   2
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KCAE 200556Z 06006KT 10SM CLR 18/12 A3021

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: COLUMBIA, SC  (SO13)                  Entry date: 09/22/2008

FMI: www.faa.gov